Who We Are
OUR HISTORY AND OUR MISSION
The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans, servicemembers and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States. Membership swiftly grew to over 1 million, and local posts sprang up across the country. Today, membership stands at nearly 2 million in more than 13,000 posts worldwide. The posts are organized into 55 departments: one each for the 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines.
The American Legion's mission statement, as adopted by the National Executive Committee in October 2020, is:
To enhance the well-being of America's veterans, their families, our military, and our communities by our devotion to mutual helpfulness. The American Legion's vision statement is "The American Legion: Veterans Strengthening America.” The American Legion's value principles are as follows:
A VETERAN IS A VETERAN - which means The American Legion embraces all current and former members of the military and endeavors to help them transition into their communities.
SELFLESS SERVICE - which means The American Legion celebrates all who contribute to something larger than themselves and inspires others to serve and strengthen America.
AMERICAN VALUES AND PATRIOTISM - which means The American Legion advocates for upholding and defending the United States Constitution, equal justice and opportunity for everyone and discrimination against no one, youth education, responsible citizenship and honoring military service by observing and participating in memorial events.
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - which means The American Legion meets the unique needs of local communities.
ADVANCING THE VISION - which means The American Legion educates, mentors and leads new generations of Americans.
HONOR THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US - which means The American Legion pays perpetual respect for all past military sacrifices to ensure they are never forgotton by new generations.
The American Legion's motto is "Veterans Strengthening America."
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